Automatic printing press



- l 625 569 Apnl 19 1927' A. J. sHlcKMAN E1' Al.

AUTOMATIC PRINTING PRESS A Filed Oct. 30; 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 W H. 77mm.

1,625,569 A, J. sHlcKMAN l-:T Al.

AUToMATrc PRINTING PREss Filed oct. so. 41924 5 sheets-sheet 2 April 19, 1927;

IA) VENTO/125 v l 625,5@ April 19 1927 A. J. sHlcKMAN l-:T Al.

AIUTOMATIC PRINTING PRESS Filed oct. so, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet- 5 April 19,1927. l 1,625,569

A. J. sHlcKMAN arAL AUTOMATIC PRINTING PRESS Filed Oct. 30. 1924 5 SheelSF--Sheelil 4 April 19, 1927.4

A. J. SHICKMAN ET AL AUTOMATIC PRINTING PRESS Filed Oct. 50. 1924 im@ l 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Apr. 19, 1927.

Us so sra'ras risse-9 ABE J'. SI-IICKMAN, VALTER A. THUM, ND WLLIAM L. DEVIESEY, OF ST. LOUIS, MIS- SOURI; SAU) 'lI-IM AND SAD DEMPSEY ASSGNGRS THE SAD SHICKMAN.

AUTOMATIC PRINTING PRESS.

Application filed October 30, 1924. Serial No. 'MQW/J...

Our invention relates .to automatic printing presses., and specically to that class of automatic printing` presses used to duplicate a typewritten letter.

The principal object ot our invention is to provide a printing press that not only automatically feeds the blank pape-r into the machine, prints it and discharges it, but, also7 automatically prints a diderent name and address on each individual sheet that passes through it.

Another object of our invention is to produce an automatic printing machine, as indicated. that has relatively large capacity; that is to say Will print and address from 1000 to 1500 letters per'hour.

Another object ot our invention is the production ot an automatic printing press consisting of a minimum of parts and of relatively light Weight, that will occupy a minimum of space and can be n'ianufactured at a relatively small cost.

Other objects and advantages of our improved automatic printing press Will be obvious romthe'description and claims hereinbeloiv set forth.

Referring to the drawings made a part o this specification: v

Fig. l is a side elevation of the main operating mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a plan view oit some of the more important mechanism.

Fig. 3 and F ig. 4L taken together show a vertical cross-section. f

Fig. 5 is a perspective of a portion of the reciprocating' type bed, the addressing plate andv` also, a roller guideivay.

Fig. 6 is a perspective of an addressing plate. f l f Fig. 'T is a side elevation of a portion of the feeding mechanism, showing the paper in posit-ion to be fed to the printing` roll.

Fig. S is a longitudinal view, partly in section, showing the mechanism for shifting and reversing the inliing ribbon.

The applicants are aware that automatic printing presses per se are not new. However, those now on the marketare of relatively very large size and Weight and are adapted only to doing commercial Work on a rather large scale and Vconsequently are too expensive for economical use by individuals, irms and small corporations.

rihese machines are. also, intended to print only duplications 'from type already set up and placed in the machine; hence, they are not .adapted to be used for printing a 'facsimile or" a `tg'peivritten letter on Which cach sheet has different name and address.

To overcome these-objections and to provide a machine that not only automatically prints a different name and address on each individual sheet printed, but can be sold at a price sufficiently low to meet the demand of individuals and small iirms, or in othel` words to meet a specialized requirement, the applicants have produced a machine capable ci' doing the same class and character of work done by the larger and more expensive machines now on the market, and also has the additional feature ot being able to print :rdilerent name and addression each individual sheet. rEhe-se results are accomplished by the means and mechanisms hereinbelou' described.

.fr suitable frame l, preferably madeoirI cast iron, is provided in which the entire mechanism functions, so that the completed machine consists of a single portable unit.

Power fromA an electric motor 2, or other conventient source, is transmitted to the various mechanisms as later described.

rEhe blank sheets to be printed are placed upon a platform 3, shown in Fig. 7, Which is caused to move up by means of the tension of a double-coil spring li, in such a manner that the top sheet of the paper in the pile 5 presses lightiy at all times against a guideivay 6, so positioned that it guides the paper io the booster arms.v later described.

ln order to adjustl the tension of the spring to paper of various Weights, an adusting nut 7 is provided and threaded on to a standard 8 by means of which the tension of the spring L is increased or decreased so that the top sheet of the pile rests lightly at all times against the guideway 6.

Crank arms 9 rotate clock-Wise and transmit reciprocatory notion to the connecting rods l0. pivotally connected to the crank arms t). The opposite end of the connecting rod l0 is pivotally connected with a shoe 1l, having a sole ot rubber l2, or other tractive material, which during their forward reciprocation contact with the upper lso surface o1 the paper with suicient tension 4cog Wheel 54, which alternately meshes with vtion will be in one direction and the movable bed plate 36 will consequently move in one direction. -It is, also apparent that when gear 54 is in mesh with gear 55, it will rotate in the opposite direction and will cause the bed plate 36 to operate in the opposite direction.

It will be noted that a` number of cogs are deleted in the bevel gea-rs 55 and 55, at 57, hence when the shaft 56 rotates to a point where the cogs are deleted at 57, the shaft will cease to revolve until the shaft V56 reaches the point to cause new cog contact between the bevel gears 54 and 55. This period of rest is so timed that it occurs at the end of each reciprocatory movement of the bed plate 36. This period of rest is further lengthened by means of the mechanism shown in Fig. l.

The bed plate 36 is provided with four legs, or standards, 58 which rest on cams 59 and 59. Integral with the cams 59 and 59 are rack wheels 60 and 60. A reciproeable bar 61 is provided at each end of which are racks 62 and 62u that mesh with the pinions 60 and 60% The rack bar 61 is caused to reciprocate by means of the cam 63 rigidly mounted upon the shaft 64, which rotates in timed relation with the other mechanism of the machine so as to cause the point 63a of .the cam 63 to contact with the rollers 65 and 65a.

VIt is evident that when `the point 63n contacts with the roller 65, it will cause the rack bar 61 to reciprocate in one direction, transinitting rotary motion to pinions 60 and 60, thereby rot-ating cams 59 and 59a to a point that will raise or lower the standards 5S at each end of the reciprocatory bed plate It will be noted that the rotatable shaft 53 is hung in bearing brackets 66 and 66, integral or attached to the stationary bedplate 47, so thatvwhen the bed plate is raised and lowered, it will cause the shaft 53 to be raised and lowered with it so that the bevel gear 54 first meshes with gear 55 and alternately meshes with gear 55a, the cams 59 and 59a being so designed as to cause a slight moment of rest thereby increasingthe period. ot' the rest of the reciprocable bed plate 36, at each end of its stroke.

It will be understo-od that cams 59 and 59d are duplicated 'on the opposite side of the machine, the twoA cams designated as 59 being attached to shaft 67 and the cams desig nated Aas 59a being rigidly attached to shaft 67 In this manner all the points of the surface of the bed plate 47 remain at all times in the same plane relatively to the printing roll, thereby ensuring the uniformity of the pressure of the roll on the type.

Villen the printing of the sheet has been completed, the printing roll continues to revolve carrying the printed sheet to a point designated as A. J ust prior to the time that the fingers on the printing roll have revolved to a point designated as'A, a plurality of discharge lingers 68, rigidly attached to a horizontal shaft 69. ai'e caused to come in close juxtaposition with the roll by means of a crank arm 70 pivotally attached to a rocker arm 7l, which in turn is caufged to oscillate about a stud 72 by means of the rotation of the cam 73, against which one end of the rocker arm 7l continually rides by means of the tension of the torsion spring 74.

In order that the proper pressure may be exerted on the type by the printing roll when paper of various thickness is used, a mechanism is provided for raising and lowering the roll, consisting` of adjustable bearings 7 5 which may be raised or lowered by means of an adjustment bolt 76.

In order to mitigate the shock which would be transmitted to the machine by means of the reciprocation of the reciproeating bed plate 36, carrying the type forms, conventional pneumatic bumpers 77 are provided which consist of a piston 7S and buffer heads 79. it isevident that as the reciprocating bed plate strikes the head 79 it will cause the piston 7S to move inwardly com- K pressing the air and thus cushioning the blo-w that otherwise would jar the machine when running at high speeds.

The upper surface of the reciprocating member 36 is planed to a perfect surface so the type locked in the usual manner in a conventional chassis may be adj ustably placed and locked by means of conventional quoins and printers furniture. f

It is evident that should the printing roll continuously rotate and the reciprocating member 36 be caused to rest at each end of its stroke, the synchrouism of the printing roll with the reciprocating plate would be destroyed. Therefore, in order to maintain the proper harmonic motion between these two elements, the printing ro-ll is driven by means of bevel gears 80 and 8l being rigidly attached to shaft SOvto which the printing roll is, also, rigidly attached, and bevel gear SO being rigidly attached to the main driving shaft 56. lt will be noted that a number of cogs are deleted from bevel. gear SOr at @Q for the purpose of'causing the printing roll to rest during the same interval of time that the reciprocating member 36 rests.

In order that a new naine and address may be printed on each sheet, aV conventional addressing plate 83 is provided, on which the name and address has been previously embossed.

hotly oit the letter. the type iter which is shown'at titi.

The plate ell cut out at Si" and adapted to engage i si'iriiig' tie'^` which eimi'ily holds the plate :from longitiulinal moif'ement when inserted.

`When one impression has heen taken from the plate S3, the plate caused to more longitudinall)v forward ln' the pressure ot the next Succeeding plate and is discharged through the opening' Si) into any suit'ahle receptacle.

The mechanism 't'or inserting and discharging plates consists ol a hopper 90 o't suitable shape and dimensions carrying a numher ol plates placed llatwise one ahove the other. the lower end o'li which is positioned at a point where it; will he in perfect aligmnent with the slots Si) when the hed plate 3G comes to rest.

coil 'ompression spring $)l is enclosed in the tubular housing' 92. one end of the coil spring ill heing' held hy the closed end of the tuhe 923 and the other end held against the head Sil ot' a reeiprtnahle plunger rod 95. Attached to the out'erend oit the plunger rod 95 is a dog 9o. normali)v held hy a spring' in a position to adapt it to contact with the outer end of' the lowest plate in the hopper, so that when the reciprocating plunger rod Sie mores inwardly, it forces the plate ttorward and when the reciprocating plunger rod 95 moves in the opposite direction by means ol the spring' 9T. the dog 9G yieldingly passes beneath the lower surface of the next succeeding plate. when the spring' 9T again causes it to assume a more Vertical position and contacts with the outer end o't the plate and :forces it into the slots S5 in the ri-eiprocahle hed plate 3G.

A rerticall)y disposed roller 95% is rotatahlv attached t'o the under side of the outer end ol the plunger rod 95 and adapted to contact with a guidewa)v 9S). At the in stanti that the plate has heen pushed into position. the roller 9S is in 'trent of the slot lll() in the guidewar 99. On the reciproca tor)Y motion ot the lied plate 36, the roller 9S passes tl'n'ough the slot l0() along the side ol the reciprocahle hed plate 3G and heneath the end oil the guideway t). at lol where the guideway 9) is held in contact simply hy its tension. As the hed `plate $56 starts in the opposite direction the roller 9S rides on the outer surifaee ot the guidcwajiv 99, which cames the plunger rod 95 to compress the spring 0l. Then the roller again methane reaches the angle ot the gnideway at 102, the tension et the erning released and drives the plunger arm 95 inwardly and being in contact with the plate 83 forcee it into position and at: the same time forcee the plate alread)v in position :forward where it drops h i gravity through the opening ein into a proper reeei'itacle. This cycle of meration is continuousl'i7 repeated.

lower 'l'or operating our improved auto matie printing press is :furnished hy a motor or other suitahle rom-ce and is transmitted hy means ol` a worm ltifsl to the worm gear 104; and shaft lll, thence through a suitable clutch '10G to the hei'el gear 10T, rigidlyI attached to a suitable clutch sleeve, then it, is communicated to the main driving' sha'tt 56 hy means ol? hcvel gear 108. The power then transmitted to all of' the various working' parts ot the machine by suit;- able gears rotating at proper speeds and in the right direction to canse the machine to 'function entirely automatically.

Having lully described our invention and the method oi its operation. what 'we claim as new and nsetul and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. An automatic printing press o'l the elasu described, comprising in combination, an automatic paper sheet vfeeding' medium provided with a spring' and cani-aetuated means 'l'or imparting aceele'ated motion to a sheet, ot paper at the instant .it is being lied to a rotatable printingroll havingr gripping means 'l'or securely holding in a predetermined adjust'ed position the sheets of paper thus accelerated, a reciprocating 'term-carrying iframe adapted to rest for a period o't time at each end ot its inward and out'l 'ard movement, automatic means for elevating' said form-carrying ilrame during one o't said periods ot rest, means 'tor rigidly holding said 'term-carrying trame in an elevated position during one 'tull stroke. means 'lor depressing' said itormcarrying` reciprocating trame during each alternate st'role of said trame.

2. An automatic printing press o'l' the class described, comprising in con'ihination, a paper iteeding mechanism. means 'for accelerating` the sheets' ot paper being fed, a rotatahle printing roll. means 'for holding sheets o'l paper 'ted to said roll, during the time said roll is in rolling contact with type rigidlyY locked in a reciprocatingtormcarrying infame, an inlting rilihon carried by; said reciprocating 'iormlarrving trame. disposed between said printing' roll and said ty ie. means tor auton'iatically shiitiilg said inking rihhon axiallj along said t'orn'r carrying iframe when said ril'ihon is not in Contact with said prii'it'ing roll and said type, gnidcwajvs located in one end of said reciprocating 'tornrcarrying iii-ame disposed at right angles to the major axis ot llt) said frame, adapted to receive and hold address plates inserte-d therein, a hopper adapted to hold a plurality of address plates in close proximity to said guideways, a spring-actuated plunger adapted to dislodge one of said address plates at a time from the bottom o' said hopper, causing said dislodged plate to enter the said guide- Ways and thereby discharge from said guideways the address plate previously deposited in said guideways, means for lim iting the longitudinal movement of said plunger, means for automatically compressing the spring actuating said plunger, and means for releasing the tension of said` compression in timed relation With the movement of the said reciprocating formcarrying frame.

In Witness whereof We have ailixed our signatures this 27th day of October 1924.

ABE J. SHICKMAN. WALTER A. THUM. WM. L. DEMPSEY. 

